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dafremen
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A lot of people believe that when Jesus said, "I come not to do away with the law, but to fulfill it", he was talking about his crucifixion. Others believe it's his instruction to obey the Bible, the Church or even the government and it's laws while "here on earth."
That seems a bit of a leap to me. Because within the context of that same text, Jesus goes on to explain what he means..and it's nothing so odd and out of place as predicting his slaughter or telling us to obey our human rulers(while telling us we can only have one master, God or man):
He's telling us that he's come to ACTUALLY DO WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES..NOT JUST WHAT MEN SAY IT REQUIRES.
For example, he tells us that the LAW says to not commit adultery. But then he goes on to explain that the law (as taught by men) does not fulfill the LAW. He says if a man even THINKS about adultery, he has violated the Law.
(Church leaders were like "well just don't actually DO it..you see? Then, the letter of the law is satisfied." Ahh loopholes. Isn't that why we write laws in the first place? To make getting around what we're SUPPOSED to do more accommodating?)
Jesus informs us similarly about the Law regarding murder. He explains that those of old were told not to kill, and that they were told murder leads to judgement. He then goes on to explain how the Law is NOT BEING FULFILLED by merely abstaining from killing.
No, our teachers up to that time had either misunderstood God, half-quoted God or simply passed on the parts of the Law that they felt they could live with; because Jesus explains that angry words are also murder.
And insults are murder (dysfunctional family sitcoms anyone?)
And hate is murder. That your offerings to God in the church are less important than offerings of forgiveness or apology to those around you.
Jesus is setting the record (Leviticus) STRAIGHT. Jesus is telling us that our Wise Men and our Holy Books are MISLEADING US.
Further on, Jesus is even MORE telling with his condemnation..and more direct with his clarification:
"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil."
But wait a minute, Jesus. So you're saying that when MEN told us that it was ok to swear, as long as we kept our word..they were LYING to, or at the very least..MISINFORMING us? You mean when they were OK'ing us to say more than a simple Yes or No..they were MISLEADING US INTO THINKING IT WAS OK TO BREAK THE LAW? And are you then saying that this sort of instruction comes from EVIL?
Wow. Thanks for the heads up, rabbi.
Look again, and again. There it is, in black and white. In his own words. As plain as day:
Men's words about the Law are not to be trusted. Men misunderstand, misrepresent or otherwise misuse the Law. This implies that YOU must find your instruction ELSEWHERE.
But where Jesus? Where do we find the Law that we might be guided by it?
"Do not have lustful intent.." "Do not resist the one who is evil.." "..love your enemies.." "Blessed are the meek..the merciful..the peacemakers..the pure in heart."
Well based on these indicators, it must be our minds or our hearts that hold the keys to understanding the Law.
But which is it, teacher?
Where does lustful intent come from?
The mind.
The urge to punch evil folks in the face?
The mind.
The desire to slap your enemies into last week?
From the mind.
The urge to be immodest? Merciless? Confrontational?
Again...the ol' brainpan. And again. And again.
Is the mind then, the source of our woe Jesus? Is it that the heart is our salvation? Is it that God speaks to us, each of us individually..through our hearts? Is THAT where we can find the Law written down?
Unlike his rather direct condemnation of men and their grasp of God's Law, Jesus only hints at the location of the Law most of the time. He's not about to fall into the trap of creating more definitions for men to misuse in the name of "God's Will."
Jesus was always so wise like that. So able to speak so that those without "ears to hear" would misinterpret and those with "eyes to see" would be able to figure it out by comparing the written words to the heart's knowledge of itself and its relationship with God.
You know, one can't help but imagine, based on just the Sermon on the Mount, that Jesus knew his message would be misinterpreted by his fellow "Sons of Man" again.
See, he knew who his real betrayers were. He knew who would leave his crucified body hanging around forever as a badge of pride and a source of power.
"Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather." - Jesus of Nazareth
Love from your brother,
see also: minted_by_men
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